Happy Halloween

I wonder how many kids will come to the door tonight, we usually don't get very many.  But our decorations are up and the candy is ready!

Daughter L and I got our flu shots today.  Son K said he wasn't feeling well, so hopefully by next week and husband M has to get his done too.

Scribble Picnic - Double

Welcome to Michael's Scribble Picnic! This piece is on canvas (9" x 12") using my new Sharpie oil paint markers. I mistakenly started sketching on the unprimed side of the canvas and decided to just keep going. As a result the colours are more muted. However one of our themes this week is 'Double' so this 'Fall Cottage' piece has 2 identical windows to fit with this theme.

I have an upcoming  ACEO  piece I did with the Sharpie oil paint markers, where I will talk about my first experience with these markers, stay posted. 

A pause for thought

I took these photos on the weekend, noticing that the leaves are starting to fall from the bushes, thinking that they still looked pretty like that. It has become colder.

I glanced at the obituary in the paper and read about the life of this man who passed at 66. He graduated school, became an engineer, got a job with a good company. Moved on to other successful jobs all over the world. Then he recently became a VIP executive with one company where he stayed until he left due to ill health. He was in the fall of his life I suppose, a life complete with close family and friends and this was his path, a successful one seemingly cut too short.

So whether your life took an upward path or a downward one, we are all going to meet our maker eventually, a pause for thought. Death is the great equalizer I am thinking.

Believe it or not

The Christmas items are already out at our local Home Depot, right alongside the Halloween stuff!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Delicious Pastries

Husband M, daughter L and I found this pastry shop one night and decided to try it. They had recently opened. Everything was delicious as you can see from the last photo.  As it was nighttime it seems all the pastries were 30 percent off, even better as they weren't cheap.

cream puffs

cakes

our choices

coffee and salted caramel latte

my tiramisu latte

vanilla cream puff

all gone

Paint Party Friday - clawfoot tub

I was inspired by a photo of a claw foot bathtub that I saw in the newspaper. I thought it would look nice in a room with a water view.  This piece for Paint Party Friday is an ACEO art card  (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") on canvas in permanent marker and Pitt fine point marker.

The Treats

And here's the candy! We love these chocolate bars so they won't go to waste either way.   At this time of year we get these snack size portions which are irresistable.  While husband M is diabetic, he still nibbles on them.  What's your favourite chocolate bar, if  you eat those.  

Seasonal Decorations

Daughter L got this little Halloween lantern set, they are LED lights that you turn on. They will look great hung up. Are you putting any seasonal decorations out?

Dang Creatures

hole in the bottom

all bruised

Well I had put my pumpkin at the side door waiting to paint a face on it for Halloween. Then one day I looked outside and saw that the pumpkin had been pushed down the steps and the creatures had put a hole in the bottom, getting at some of the seeds inside.  I bought another pumpkin.

Healthy fruit and vegetable juices

Husband M bought me the juices above in preparation for my tooth extraction last Thursday. It went smoothly, I had no swelling or pain. Except we have to wait for my infection/abscess to completely clear before we can plan further steps towards the implant. It was a lot easier to swallow fruit and vegetable juices the first day. The low sodium V8 is actually quite delicious.

Breathalyzer

One of my sisters, she lives in the US, said that she noticed one of these breathalyzer machines in a restaurant she was in. This looks like a good idea! Have you noticed these where you are?

What a Treat

Well the lovely cookbooks I won from Rain have started to arrive, what a treat! She included a lovely card she made which I love.  Yes, Rain we can compare recipes!

Paint Party Friday - Raptor

Happy Paint Party Friday!

This is a greeting card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") intended to be a card for a boy baby shower. My friend asked me to make it, so it qualifies as my first custom order, albeit free!  She wanted to have dinosaurs on the card, inspired by the small hat she is gifting the child, it is blue, patterned with navy blue raptors.  She loved this card.

A cold morning

frost

burning bush

Well there was frost on the ground as I walked to church this past weekend. It was a cold morning but the skies were beautiful. It is at this time of year that I start noticing the burning bush plants. They are fiery red now, a bland green plant otherwise. It will eventually lose its leaves over the winter.  It turned out to be a lovely, sunny fall afternoon.  

Scribble Picnic - Bottle

It's time for Michael's Scribble Picnic! The current theme is 'Bottle', my piece is a greeting card (congratulations?) on textured cardstock (4 1/4" x 5 1/2"). I used permanent markers and a sharpie white marker.

The Joys of Getting Older - Not

I had some bad news at my dental checkup yesterday.  I had developed a swelling under my upper gum.  My dentist suspected an infection and thought I might need a root canal done on a nearby tooth.  Off I went to the endodontist specialist.  It turns out that the tooth has cracked over time, not to mention that it has a large filling.  My options were to do a root canal/crown or extraction/implant. I decided to go with extraction/implant as a longer term solution.  My appointment is booked with yet another specialist (oral surgeon) for the upcoming extraction.  These are the joys of getting older - not.

Almost Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Jenn at Coffee on the Porch with Me reminded me that there is a pumpkin pie recipe behind the label on cans of ED Smith pumpkin. I bought a tart shell and proceeded to make a delicious pumpkin pie with homemade filling. It tasted a lot better than a completely store bought pie, somehow the filling is more like pure pumpkin, with less additives, less sugar.  And really the hard part must be in making the crust.

What we need to know

We just received this Cannabis information in the mail.  It is legal in Canada as of October 17, 2018.  I must say it is a bit scary as we adjust.   It is illegal to take cannabis across the Canadian border.  We are being asked to store it away from children, youth and pets.  It is a criminal offence to drive while drug impaired.  Legal cannabis will have an excise stamp on product labels.  There are strict penalties for selling cannabis to youth under age (18 or 19 or older depending on your province).

Robot Restaurant

server

Son K went to this restaurant called Robo Sushi recently. He and his friends were very impressed.  they were met by a robot host (in a stereotypical blue colour), who led them to their table.  Then before long the robot server came out (in a stereotypical pink colour).  This robot  had tray compartments in the middle bearing the dishes.  It would wink when you took the last plate off.  It was impressive how the robots made their way back to the  kitchen, turning past tables, stopping if kids got in the way (the excited kids thought they were so cute), or if someone had their leg stuck out, it seemed to know to stop.  K said they were in and out of the restaurant in an hour, compared to the regular 2 hours it would take without robots.  The only danger he could see is that one day they could take over the world with all this artificial intelligence.

Paint Party Friday - Dior

It's Paint Party Friday time! This is a Dior designer dress based on one that I saw in the newspaper.  I guess I did this one in seasonal Halloween colours.  It's done on brown cardstock (4 1/2" x 6 1/2") with my Sharpie white marker and black permanent marker.

Success

Cinnamon pumpkin donut muffins

I had great success making these cinnamon pumpkin doughnut muffins shared at MyFaithisOverlowing's blog.  These mini muffins are so delicious, either that or I am addicted to cinnamon.  Instead of the final step of rolling in the cinnamon mixture I sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top of the muffins before baking.  I happened to have a bottle of it.

Fantastic

Daughter L came home with these Sharpie paint markers that a wonderful friend had gifted her with. She says I am welcome to use them. I cannot wait, stay posted for upcoming Sharpie paint marker art. There are oil based ones, waterbased ones and a couple of acrylic ones.  How fantastic is this, not to mention the array of bright colours!

Celebration

Hope all the Canadians had a happy Thanksgiving long weekend. Daughter L got us this celebration cake for our 30th wedding anniversary yesterday. I baked some chicken legs and made stuffing and gravy.

On Sunday we attended the extended family gathering and enjoyed turkey. It was great to see everyone and hear all the latest news.
This year there seems to be a lot of health problems. We can only hope for the best for everyone as the years go by and kids grow up.

In other news, I am pleased to announce I was the winner of Rain's recent cookbook giveway. I am beyond thrilled and excited, thanks again Rain! Her random generator video made winning all the more exciting, seriously. Also I can't wait the see the Williams Sunoma cookbooks.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving 2018!

pumpkin pie with whipped cream

Don't eat too much!

Fall

It took me a second to get this one but it's a good one!

A Freak Accident

Watermelon Scribble Picnic July 5 2017

So I was peeling a watermelon the other day.  I stuck a large chef's knife into the middle of the fruit and started to slice it open.  It suddenly started to split open, pushing my knife aside in a way  that the pointed tip went toward my stomach.  I tightened my hold on the knife and everything seemed to be okay, but then I wondered 'have I been cut?'  I lifted my t-shirt up above my stomach and sure enough, there was a tiny slice (3/4" or 2 cm) in my belly skin, not enough to draw blood.  The outcome could have been much worse.

And that is my true story adventure for today!

Paint Party Friday - A hot day

Welcome to Paint Party Friday, thanks to Eva and Kristin for always hosting! My piece today is an ACEO on canvas (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") in permanent marker, outlined with a PITT fine point marker. It was inspired by a photo I saw in the newspaper, of a squirrel all tuckered out on a hot day back in the summer.

Well meant advice

Husband M asked me to pick up a case of diet ginger ale while I was at the supermarket. At the cashier this lady behind me politely asked if I knew how they made the aspartame in the diet soda. She said it was from rat poison, that stevia was no better even though it is a natural product. Her advice was to drink green tea instead. I appreciated her advice but I still bought the diet soda.  Do  you drink diet sodas?

Scribble Picnic - Chicken

Welcome to Scribble Picnic! The theme this week is 'Chicken' and I've done a chicken portrait for my ACEO (art card originals and editions) piece on canvas in permanent marker. It measures (2 1/2" x 3 1/2").

Wow, it's October now.

Brunch

Husband M, daughter L and I went out for a nice brunch at a local restaurant the other day. We decided we would celebrate a couple of work awards she recently received and why not add in our upcoming 30th wedding anniversary (Oct 8th)? The restaurant had a lovely fall display at the front entrance (a part of it is pictured above).

Purpose and Meaning

Flower in the Road Drain

Welcome to October!

I was looking at some of my old books thinking wistfully of decluttering somewhat.  I came across this book by David Niven called 'The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People'.  Mine is the 2001 edition but I think there is a 2006 edition out now.  It is full of tips based on scientific research.  I decided this one is a keeper.  In fact, I think it is time to reread it.  Make realistic comparisons (to those who faced the same challenges you did, not to those who have more), cultivate friendships, unconditionally accept yourself, stuff like that.  Above all, ensure your life has purpose and meaning.